20 products that flew off shelves after being featured in movies and TV

E.T. has had a lasting effect on culture, but it also had an immediate impact. The Spielberg classic made Reese’s Pieces wildly popular, and the candy hasn’t decreased in popularity since. 

The product placement in Home Alone 2 was so good that it led to the production of a fake toy as a real product. After seeing Kevin McCallister use his Talkboy in the film, the handheld recorder was made into an actual piece of technology that was available for the rest of the decade. 

Carrie Bradshaw is the ultimate television trendsetter. After donning her iconic name necklace, the trend was set, and viewers looked for jewelers who could put their name on a necklace, too. 

Having your brand featured in a hit film is not an easy marketing tactic to pull off, but it is effective. Just ask FedEx. The company saw a bump in business after it had a role of its own in the Tom Hanks hit Cast Away. 

Speaking of Cast Away, perhaps the most iconic example of product placement in movie history was Tom Hanks’ character’s Wilson volleyball. If you’ve seen the film, you know that it’s possible to cry over a volleyball. 

It’s not that macarons weren’t popular, but after the 2006 film Marie Antoinette, their popularity surged. People who hadn’t ever tried the small cookie were interested, and those who hadn’t had one in a while wanted another taste. 

Miami Vice had an enormous impact on the world of men’s fashion. A variety of men’s clothing items surged in popularity thanks to Sonny and Rico. 

Red isn’t a common hair color, and not everyone feels they can pull it off. But its popularity rose after seeing Scarlett Johansson’s hair color in Black Widow. The Oscar nominee sported something different than her signature blonde, and it sparked an increase in red hair dye sales. 

No one was cooler in the ‘80s than Tom Cruise in Top Gun. He was so cool that the sunglasses brand he wore in the film, Ray-Ban, had a significant increase in sales. Anything to look like Maverick. 

We’ve all seen a car in a movie that we want, but they’re typically out of most viewers’ price range. The Italian Job was the exception to the rule - sales of Mini Coopers increased after the vehicle was featured in the film. 

Then again, some people do have the means to buy a super expensive car that they see in a movie. Early James Bond films had a massive impact on Aston Martin sales.  

Another car company to see an increase in sales after being featured in a film, BMW got a welcome boost after its cars were seen in the Mission: Impossible series. Tom Cruise’s marketing power is truly unmatched. 

No, disco isn’t a physical product, but it’s something that’s been influenced by the film industry. After Saturday Night Fever, disco became mega popular, taking the song and dance style to every corner of the world. 

Nike has been a popular brand for decades, but it reached new heights in its journey back in the late ‘80s after being featured in Back to the Future Part II. The film made the brand look ultra (Mc) fly. 

Coca-Cola doesn’t need any help with advertising, but even the country’s most popular soda brand will take some product placement. People bought more pop from the seller after it was featured in The Truman Show. 

Bridget Jones has influenced women in a multitude of ways. After seeing Bridget Jones’s Diary, viewers started buying ice cream again, and they started eating it in front of their television sets. 

Cherry pie is a staple dessert, one that doesn’t necessarily go in and out of popularity. But that changed after it was featured in Twin Peaks. 

Anyone who grew up in the ‘90s or ‘00s knows how ardently adults tried to get kids to eat yogurt. As it turns out, all it takes is a popular movie to get people to buy the dairy product. Yogurt sales increased after the food was featured in To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. 

A seemingly inconsequential character choice can have a real-life influence if it’s made by the right character. After eating mushroom ravioli in Twilight, Bella inspired people who don’t interact with vampires on a regular basis to order it themselves. 

There’s a reason Apple’s worth trillions. And it’s thanks in part to its surge in sales after being seen in Iron Man. It makes sense, too. Tony Stark is like if Steve Jobs had been a totally ripped superhero.